The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-10-27
For the Ashevi!le CITIZEN.
THE OTHER SIDE OF TIE RAIL
ROAD QUESTION.

| Editors Citizen AS there are two side!
to all questions both ought to be discuss
ed and presented fairly, the more especi
ally when the object involves taxation tc
every tax payer, large and small.
The effort being made to get our peo.
pie to authorize a subscription of foul
hundred thousand dollars to four more
railroads is matter which merits calm
reflection and should not be sustained
unless people can be fully persuaded
it is best for our people. AS the PROPOSE
ton is now presenCe! am against it, in
part at least When propositions, involv
ing 30 much, are submitted to a people
the utmost truthfuiness and candor
should be observed and flowery pictures
to captivate the unsuspecting should be
avoided.
Now does any man, of truth, contend
that four railroads are 70 be built through
buncomba conntg = do n3t think any
one with I. tbimbl= X of seS,sc who has
studied Tie question will % contend. l
say if the most sanyu}ne expectation Of
friends of the proposition come to pass
we will only have TWO roads, the one
from blank UtG Avery's Creek to Ashe-
vile, thence riu Sandy Mush to Knox
vile will make one line for which we
propose to give 100000. If the Caro-.
lima Central Road comes uia Fair View
to Asheville, a distance OF fourteen miles
Gn the county, then away goes another
100000. The BurnsVille road is Alpha
and Omega, SO that the Carolina Central
road, under he powers given the COM
mlssIoners, viii go forward and complete
the Burnsvillc road, passing over II
miles in the county. then here goes the
other 100000, and the Knoxville, Ka-
burn Gap. Brevard ri1 Pigeon River
down the French Broad through Averv's
Creek to AsheVilie then through Lelces.
ter, Sandy Mush 10 God -knows-where,
will have the other two hundred.
My idea is that we had better take a
lying down rest and draw fine bead be
fore We fire. 1t is a fact that Buncombe
county has about 25,0OO inhabitants, so
our taxes will amount, the first year, to
about $500 for every man, woman and
child in BuncOmbc county to meet or
dinary expenses and the interest Oh the
public debt. And as our property grows
III dollars worth 50 do our taxes increase
Where Is there man in Buncombe who
does not ay more dollars and cents in
taxes this year than ever before. There
is much to be said against the PROPOSE
ton, but | will wait awhile. d.
IT'D" will read over this article care
fully, and study the real facts in the case,
in connection with his own argument
and is not persuaded that it is best for
the people to vote for this proposition
then we will give him up as lest on this
question.
Buncombe has nearer forty thousand
inhabitants than twenty-five thousand.
People who pay no property tax-real
or persOnal-Will have no par. of this tax
to pay. People who have the same pro-
perty now that they had few years ago,
which IL worth no more now than then,
and - thai. they have nal 49, rI.f
+L war
If "D.' is right in suggesting that the
road thrpuGh Avery's Creek to Asheyille,
thence l. Knoxville will be built, reQuir-
.Eg Is hundred thousand dollars; and
that the Carolina Central will not only
build tnrough Fair View to Asheville,
but thcn take advantage of the powers
of the commissioners and build the
Burnsville road as well, he certainly en-
cOur Ees us to vote more readily for the
proposition, and ought % likewise en-
courage himself and all other citizens of
the comfy. 1t would be worth several
times four hundred thousand dollars to
Buncnmbe if these roads will De built as
ID" says lie thinks will be the case
EDIroRS CITIZEN